1856 25C PR66 NGC. A rare proof striking, made two years
before the U.S. Mint broke decades-old traditions and finally
started marketing proof coins to the collecting public at large.
The mintage of the 1856 Seated quarter business strike is a
generous 7.26 million coins, a sign that the Mint wanted to
continue the inroads it had made in circulating coinage in 1854-55
with the silver content weight reduction and the Arrows and Rays
designs. Larry Briggs estimates that 25 proofs of this year were
made, while the Guide Book provides no figure and the Breen
Proof Encyclopedia comments, "probably slightly rarer than
the dime, less than 30 surviving."

The proof die shows a die bulge under the base of the first A in
AMERICA down through the right wing area to the L in DOL. That
attribute is perceptible on this piece, although far from obvious.
More interesting are a couple of raised die lines on the obverse
shield, under the R of LIBERTY. Iridescent gold and violet toning
dominates both sides of this sharply detailed piece. Frosty luster
appears on the devices, but toning in the fields somewhat subdues
the reflectivity. Census: 3 in 66, 0 finer (6/13).(Registry
values: P2) (NGC ID# 23WH, PCGS# 5552)